Kavanah for Zechiras Amalek

This week’s Maftir, Parshas Ki Seitzei, discusses the mitzvah of Zechiras Amalek, which we fulfill annually through the reading of Parshas Zachor.

Since this coming year is a leap year, there will be 13 months between last year’s Parshas Zachor and the upcoming Parshas Zachor. The Chasam Sofer explains that the annual reading nevertheless fulfills the mitzvah. The reason is that the natural process of forgetting after a year is not determined solely by the number of days that have passed, but also by the cycle of seasonal events that we experience throughout the year.

Nevertheless, the Maharam Schick (Mitzvos, no. 604) writes that the Chasam Sofer himself instructed his students that in a leap year, they should have specific kavanah to fulfill the mitzvah of Zechiras Amalek during the Krias  HaTorah reading of Ki Seitzei. This ensures that a full twelve-month period does not pass without hearing the Torah’s account of Amalek.

Submitted: Anyone davening in a shul where a Bar Mitzvah bachur is receiving Maftir should have specific kavanah during Shvi’i to fulfill the mitzvah of Zechiras Amalek through the Torah reading. (Al pi Rabbi Shmuel Felder shlita.)